Expanding reamer



April 15, 1930. J. J. SANTIAGO EXPANDING REAMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1928 [nae/25w". Jim ea Z Jaw/aye.

a'florzeqg April 1930- J. J. SANTIAGO 1,754,530

EXPANDING REAMER Fileg Dec. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In 2/64/01, 30 Jamesjow/zqyo I vffiarkqy. I

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED s TATrns JAMES J. SANTIAGO, on Los Pram; OFFICE EXPANDING REAMER Application filed December 24, 1928. Serial No. 328,125.

This invention has to do with expansive reamers and underreamers for deep well drilling; and a general object of the. invention is to provide a simple form of reaming tool which, although not necessarily limited thereto, is especially adapted. to use as a reamer Where a comparatively smallamount of we pansion is required.

The present invention is more or less similar to and may be regarded as an improvementupon, that set forth in the application of John Grant, Serial No. 225,270, filed October 10, 1927, in that it embodies the provision of several longitudinally extending mandrels, one for each cutter, the cutters or cutter elements surrounding theirrespective mandrels. These cutters are preferably shown as rotating or rolling cutters, and the mandrels thus may preferably provide bearings for the rotation of the roller cutters as well as the means for causing cutter expansion.

The characteristic difference between the subject matter ofthis present application and that of the prior Grant application lies mainly in the factthat, specifically, the Grant structure includes in its design a slotted body with a cutter propeller inside the body and the cutters located in the body slots; whereas the specific design here does not embody a slotted body, or any exterior or surrounding body, but rather only a central body around which the cutters and cutter-carrying mandrels are spaced and around which the part that may be called a cutter propeller plays up and down. The structure is thus somewhat simplified; and at the same time a strong and rugged tool is obtained.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a specific and illustrative embodiment of the invention and in these'drawings:

Figure 1 isa vertical central section showing the tool designed as a reamer and in its expanded position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the contracted position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a cross section on line 4-1 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showper end for connection with a drill string or drill stem. The lower end of this body forms the lower central shank 13 which, as shown in Figure 3, may preferably be square in cross section, although other arrangements or means may be used for preventing rotation of the vertically movable follower or cutter propeller 15 which surrounds the shank 13. The body 10 has an enlargement or head 16 above its lower shank 13; and the cutter carrying mandrels 17 (here shown as four in number, but which may be of any suitable selected number) depend from head 16 and their lower ends extend downwardly into the openings 18 of the follower or cutter propeller 15. The cutters are here shown as simple cutting rollers 20 and the mandrels are shown merely as tapered mandrels, the cutting rollers having tapered bores which fit the upper parts of the mandrels, so that when the cutters are in their upper expanded positions they have good rotary hearings on the mandrels. When the follower is in its lowermost position as shown in Figure 2, the rollers are then lowered on the mandrels so that, then surrounding the lower smaller parts of the mandrels, they may move inwardly to the relatively retracted or collapsed positions shown in Figure 2. Conversely, when the follower moves upwardly, and moves the cutters upwardly, the cutters are moved out to the relatively protracted or expanded position shown in Figure 1. The outward movement of the cutters is here due to the long uniform taper ofthe mandrels.

When the device is used as a reamer it is used merely to ream or round out the hole that is out by the drill bit 30, and reaming may take place directly behind the drill bit as the drilling progresses. The amount of reaming done in such instances is comparatively slight; and therefore, particularly when the going is easy, both drilling and reaming may take place simultaneously. For these purposes the drill bit may be mounted and carried directly on the lower end of the follower or cutter propeller 15. This follower has a tapered screw threaded socket or box 31 which takes the tapered screw-threaded pin 32 of the drill bit 30. Above the screwthreaded box 31 the follower has a square bore 33 slidably fitting the square shank 13; To prevent the follower and the drill bit from dropping off the body, a washer 34 is here shown bolted at 35 to the lower end of body shank 13, the washer having projecting lugs 36 which are taken by grooves 37 in the follower, these grooves ending short of the upper end of the follower.

When the tool is lowered through the well or through the casing C it is in the relative position shown in Figure 2, the weight of the drill bit and follower holding the follower down. When the drill bit comes to the bottom of the hole, the body moves on down relative to the follower and drill bit, carrying the parts to the expanded position shown in Figure 1. In this position the rollers have full bearings on the tapered mandrel 17, and the inward and tangential thrusts of the rollers are transferred to the mandrels and thence transferred very shortly to the body head 18 and also to the follower 15. The openings or bores 18 in the follower may, if desired, be tapered, or at least tapered for a short distance at their upper ends as shown at 18 so as to fit the mandrels closely and ive them good support immediately below t e rollers when the tool is expanded. Also these tapered bores 18! may be made to fit the tapered mandrels at a point just below the rollers, so

that the rollers are not too tightly held between head 16 and follower 15 when the drillinfi weight is on the tool; and allowing the to ers to be free enough vertically for free rotation, although the rollers are at that time relatively closely confined by the head 16 and follower 15.

In Fi ure 5, a slight modification of the design is shown for use as an underreamer ior underreaming below a casing above the bottom of a hole that has been previously drilled. The structure as here shown is substantially the same as before illustrated, except that a spring 50 is interposed between the washer 34: and the follower 15, tending at all times to raise the follower on the body and thus tending at all times to ra ise the roller cutters to their expanded positions. Where a spring is thus employed, tendin constantly to raise the cutters to expand them to a diameter greater than the inside diameter of the easng, the slight taper of the straight conical mandrel 17 of Figure 1 is not preferable, as the cutters would'have a tendency to wedge in the casing unless some kind of a lock or release is also used. In order to keep the construction simple, the form of the mandrels is accordingly shown in Figure 5 as having an abrupt taper 51 between its lower smaller part 52 and its upper larger or cutter hearing part 53.

I have said that the roller cutters 20 as here illustrated are typical; and in the illustration the part 20 may be considered as a cutter element, which cutter element, in the broader aspects of the invention, may be of any desired character and may carry desired kind of actual cutting edge or cutting element. Specifically, the design lends itself very readily to the use of roller cutters which not only move vertically on the mandrels for expansion and contraction, but also rotate directly on the mandrels as bearings; but it will readily be understood, that in the broader aspects, these cutter elements may be of any desired character and do not necessarily themselves have to rotate. In fact the body of the roller 20 may be looked upon as a cutter carrier, which carries the final cuting element or elements 20 which in this case are in the form of cutting teeth.

I claim:

1. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements.

2. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements, the upper parts of the mandrels being circular in cross section and the cutter elements surrounding and having rotative bearing on the upper parts of the mandrels.

3. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements, the follower having vertical openings to take the lower ends of the depending mandrels.

4. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surroundii'ig and movable vertically on the body below th;

cutter elements, the follower being slidable but non-rotative on the body.

5. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements, the follower fitting around the body slidably but non-rotatively and having Vertical openings which take the depending ends of the mandrels and fit the mandrels tightly when the follower is in its uppermost position.

6. I11 an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, and a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cut ter elements, the follower fitting around the body slidably but non-rotatively and having vertical openings which take the depending ends of the mandrels and fit the mandrels tightlywhen the follower is in its uppermost position, the upper parts of the mandrels being circular in cross section and the cutter elements surrounding and having rotative bearing on the upper parts of the mandrels.

7. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements, the follower being slidable but non-rotative on the body, and means for attaching a drill bit at the lower end of the follower.

8. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically extending body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a purality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, cutter elements around the mandrels, a follower surrounding and movable vertically on the body below the cutter elements, the follower fitting around the body slidably but non-rotatively and having vertical openings which take the depending ends of the mandrels and fit the mandrels tightly when the follower is in its uppermost position, and means for attaching a drill bit at the lower end of the follower.

9. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically expanding body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, said mandrels being larger in their upper portions than in their lower portions, the body below the head being of polygonal cross-section, a follower surrounding the lower part of the body below the head and below the cutter elements, said head slidably but non-rotatively fitting upon the lower part of the body, and said head having vertical openings therein adapted to take the lower end parts of the depending mandrels, and means on the lower end of the body for limiting downward movement of the follower with relation to the body.

10. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically expanding body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, said mandrels being larger in their upper portions than in their lower portions, the body below the head being of polygonal cross-section, a follower surrounding the lower part of the body below the head and below the cutter elements, said head slidably but non-rotatively fitting upon the lower part of the body, and said head having vertical openings therein adapted to take the lower end parts of the depending mandrels, means on the lower end of the body for limiting downward movement of the follower with relation to the body, and means for attaching a drill bit at the lower end of the follower.

11. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically expanding body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, said mandrels being larger in their upper portions than in their lower portions, the body below the head being of polygonal cross section, a follower surrounding the lower part of the body below the head and below the cutter elements, said head slidably but non-rotatively fitting upon the lower part of the body, and said head having vertical openings therein adapted to take the lower end parts of the depending mandrels, means on the lower end of the body for limiting downward movement of the follower with relation to the body, the openings in the follower fitting the mandrels tightly when the follower is in its uppermost position.

12. In an expanding reamer, a central ver- '1- tically expanding body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, said mandrels being larger in their upper portions than in their lower portions, the body below the head being of polygonal cross section, a follower surrounding the lower part of the body below the head and below the cutter elements, said.

head slidably but non-rotatively fitting upon the lower part of the body, and said head having vertical openings therein adapted to take the lower end parts of the depending mandrels, means on the lower end of the body for limiting downward movement of the follower with relation to the body, the up 331 parts of the mandrels being circular in cross section and the cutter elements surrounding and having rotative bearing on the upper parts of the mandrels.

13. In an expanding reamer, a central vertically expanding body with an enlarged head above its lower end, a plurality of vertically extending mandrels dependingly supported from the body head and spaced around the body below the head, said mandrels being larger in their upper portions than in their lower portions, the body below the head being of polygonal cross section, a follower surrounding the lower part of the body below the head and below the cutter elements, said head slidably but non-rotatively fitting upon the lower part of the body, and said head having vertical openings therein adapted to take the lower end parts of the depending inandrels, means on the lower end of the body for limiting downward movement of the follower with relation to the body, the openings in the follower fitting the mandrels tightly when the follower is in its uppermost p tion, the upper parts of the mandrels being; circular in cross section and the cutter elements surrounding and having rotative hearing on the upper parts of the mandrels.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3 day of December, 1928.

JAMES J. SANTIAGO. 

